Comforting Lie
by Retro Kitten
Summary: *Chapter 12* RP related fic. Read and prepare to be confused. Back to school.. is this the end?
1. I'm just a normal person

.Funny How Things End Up  
  
Disclaimer: Aw. so sorry, no I don't own Harry Potter or any of it's mentioned characters. I do own this story plot, in a way. Also, you best not read this if you aren't part of, Riddikulus, A Hogwarts RP because it may confuse you to no end.. (www.neopets.com/~_clari_)  
  
"It's funny how things even up. It'd be even funnier if it wasn't me."  
  
Katie Bell walked into the living room of her family's home, flopping down on the couch. Suprisingly she was tired and dizzy, even though she was used to traveling by Floo Powder. Her mother didn't seem the least bit concerned upon the moment she had returned home.  
  
She stared up at the ceiling, feeling slightly guilty about leaving school. Nothing was wrong with her. She was exaggerating.. Right?  
  
"Kathleen?" her mother called from the kitchen, her voice hinting worry.  
  
"Hmm?" Katie mumbled, feeling as though the ground was being pulled out from under her as she lie on the couch.  
  
Her mother entered her wand in hand, for she was doing some cleaning. "Well.. are you all right?"  
  
"Fine mum, just fine." She said distantly.  
  
"Hmm. well you seem a bit under the weather dear, I'll take you to Dr. Jepson tomorrow."  
  
Doctor Selissa Jepson was the most nosy, irritating, bothersome woman in the Pineview Medical Office.  
  
Katie didn't bother to argue, she was too tired and annoyed to even try.  
  
Nine o' clock am, Pineview Medical office.  
  
There she sat, in the cold, nearly empty waiting room. A young girl whined loudly to her mother about getting a checkup while another man complained about the long wait for his appointment.  
  
A tall blonde nurse with a screechy voice enters, "Kathleen Bell?"  
  
Suddenly Katie felt like a small child, alone. Her mother had just dropped her off, and was to come after her appointment. Reluctantly, she stood and followed the nurse into one of the Doctor's offices'.  
  
"Doctor Jepson will be with you in a minute."  
  
That was the biggest lie in the medical field, Katie thought, amused. Every single nurse had always said that line, as if directed to when they knew it'd be at least a half-hour.  
  
As expected, after thirty minutes Selissa Jepson apperated into the room. She wore her dark brown hair in a tight bun, and wore black rimmed spectacles only in order to look smart. She held a clipboard in her left hand, scribbling something with a large macaw feather quill.  
  
"Katie right, I believe your last appointment was last March?"  
  
Katie nodded, bitterly. She hated how she always tried to act like a friend by calling her by her nickname. All doctors are pure evil. Yes, they are.  
  
"Hmm.. why aren't you in school?" she asked suspiciously lowering the clipboard.  
  
"I haven't been feeling well so I've taken awhile off from school." She responded slightly shrugging.  
  
"And how haven't you been feeling well? A cold perhaps? Stress?" she asked in her annoying questioning tone.  
  
Katie didn't know quite how to answer her. "Well.. Yes.. I have had a few colds lately."  
  
"I sense uncertainty in your voice." Dr. Jepson said, her mouth forming a thin line. She pulled up a tiny vial. "Now for a standard procedure.. I need you to take four drops of this. Now open your mouth."  
  
"What is it?" Katie asked crossing her arms.  
  
"I see we are a bit rebellious.." she laughed. "No worries dear, it's just a Truth Potion. I need to ask you a few things."  
  
"I am *not* taking a truth potion!" she said surprised at her own unwillingness.  
  
"Yes you are." She said sighing. "Now you mustn't disagree or I will have to use a Bodybind curse on you."  
  
"Fine." Katie said opening her mouth, and letting her pouring four drops in.  
  
Unlike a normal, mild truth potion this one was quite strong. It caused her whole body to seize up, and she lost control of her actions.  
  
Doctor Jepson circled her like a hawk, beginning her questions, scribbling down things here and there.  
  
"How are things at school?"  
  
"I think Alicia's mad and me, and I feel really bad about not being about to tell George the truth. Oh.. and I think my grades have been slipping." Katie blurted out.  
  
"Ha.. the usual teenage gossip.." she paused. "How do you feel right now?"  
  
"Horrible, actually. I'm pretty tired from not sleeping and a bit scared."  
  
"Of what, may I ask?"  
  
"Of.. of.. going crazy.." the words come out forced, causing her to give up trying to stop herself from speaking.  
  
Even Selissa looked a tad bit shocked, but regained her composed and continued.  
  
"What do you mean, by crazy?"  
  
"Well.. some days it feels like the whole worlds against me.. and then things are half-way decent. I'm not happy.. or rather I'm miserable and no one seems to care.."  
  
She scribbles more down, two of the words being Woodson Clinic.  
  
"Katie, how would you feel about being in a support group at Woodson Clinic for awhile?"  
  
The potion hadn't worn off, so she couldn't lie. "A shrink? I'm not going to see a shrink!"  
  
"Not a psychiatrist." Dr. Jepson corrected. "A support group. You'd go weekly to a group where people with conditions similar to you talk to a counselor."  
  
Katie was not at all agreeing to the idea. "I'm not. I won't ,and you can't make me."  
  
"There are other options.." she said, lazily, writing something else down.  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Twenty-eight days as a patient in Woodson Medical clinic. Your decision? " she asked, looking at her sideways.  
  
"Fine.. I'll go to the loony group." She said sighing.  
  
"Excellent choice, I'll go see if your mother's here, I need to speak with her." with a 'pop' she apperated again.  
  
Katie sat up and swung her legs out of bored against the chair. She had just said some things that her mother may not be so excited to hear. She couldn't even imagine her mum's reaction. Alicia had probably been scared by it, now that she thought about it...  
  
The door opened, for Mrs. Bell wasn't licensed to apperate, and Dr. Jepson led her in. Suddenly, her mother that had always been calm and collected in the most distressing of situations looked like a complete stranger.  
  
"Mum?" Katie asked, weakly.  
  
Instead her mother turned to Dr. Jepson and they began talking about her as though she wasn't even there. But, she was.  
  
"So, Tuesday mornings nine to tweleve?" her mother asked.  
  
"Yes, at Woodson Clinic. Her name will be on the group list when you get there. Its in room B13."  
  
"Anything else?" Mrs. Bell asked biting her lip.  
  
"That-that's all, but do bring her back here if you have any concerns." She said, handing her a small parchment from her clipboard.  
  
"C'mon Kate." She motioned to Katie. They exited, leaving the evil doctor begin, and walking to the exit room where the Floo Power exit was located.  
  
"816 St. Lucian" her mother said, reciting their address and immediately being transported home. Katie did the same, reappearing in the living room. Her mother didn't say a word to her, so she went to her straight up to her bedroom.  
  
She plopped down on her bed. Her dad had helped her design her whole room to reflect the muggle 80s era last fall. A record player in the corner had been charmed to play certain new wave records on command. Her bedspread was neon orange with a giant electric guitar in the center. She looked around her room, comforted slightly by being home.  
  
Maybe this whole 'support group thing' won't be so bad. Author/Role-player's notes: There you have it, chapter one of oh-so-many. I may actually be getting better at this.. or not. 


	2. Without those problems

A/N- HERE WE GO! YAY! Here's a small lyric to start us off..  
  
".And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time" -Michelle Branch, Goodbye to You. (Why this lyric? I don't like the song too much but this one lyric really hit me. It's VERY fic related. It's sorta like this. Katie wants everything, to be better, to see her friends, to have her world go back to normal. Yet.. in some parts of the story, she just wants to throw it all away..)  
  
Onward..  
  
------------------------------  
  
Four days later.  
  
She never wanted more to forget everything and go back to Hogwarts.  
  
Stupid doctor. Stupid George. Now that I think about it, Stupid Alicia. Stupid life. She closed to door, and locked it. Locking herself up in her room had become customary for her recently. Her mother had become even more of a nervous wreck, not speaking to her. Her father just didn't know what to say.  
  
Poor insane Katie. She thought back to her old diary entry. Even when she had written that things hadn't been this bad.  
  
She lay on her bed, closing her eyes, trying to block it all out. Before she knew it, she was crying again. Suddenly longing for her friends .. back at school.  
  
How do I deal with this?  
  
She did the first thing that came to mind. On reflex she grabbed the pocketknife on her nightstand, looking into the blade.  
  
A pair of swollen, teary, hazel eyes stared back at her. Why did her reflection scare her so? She closed the knife, and tossed it to the other side of the room. Mirrors are evil.  
  
A voice in her head kept screaming. 'Get the knife.. get the knife' She ignored the voice, but it continued, louder than ever. 'Why?' She asked numbly.  
  
'End it all..'  
  
Then the death fears came again. She felt like someone was trying to kill her. That person was herself.  
  
Suicide? No.  
  
There was two sides to Katie. 'Happy-joyious-make-good-grades-and- play-quidditch-with-a-smile-Katie' and then there was 'Sod-off-leave-me- alone-to-die-Katie.' Both Katies' tended to torment the other, leaving one or the other confused.  
  
Sadly, there was no in-between.  
  
Had it always been like this? Katie thought to herself. Maybe.. maybe not. She hadn't really noticed it until recent events had triggered the strange depression.  
  
One part of her wanted to grab the knife and stop the voices, but she pulled up her left sleeve, for some reason.  
  
It was already covered in dozens of crisscross scars..  
  
Had she been unconsciously cutting herself?  
  
She rolls over and sobbed into her pillow, not knowing what to do with her discovery.  
  
"And when the stars fall  
  
I will lie awake  
  
You're my shooting star"  
  
  
  
A/N- Wow. That was weird. Yes Jenna, I borrowed the plot from our other RP, kinda.  
  
  
  
Spoilers? Yes, please. *  
  
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She tried to write, but her hands were trembling so badly, it was hopeless. A part of her didn't want to put her fears to parchment, on the other hand he needed to know.  
  
Or rather, for some reason she wanted him to know. After last night she wasn't sure of anything, and this support group was just going to make things worse.  
  
She crumpled up the paper and leaned back in her desk chair, watching the sunrise.  
  
So much for telling George. 


	3. When did it change?

Intermission  
  
A.k.a. Katrina's fight with Katie Bell  
  
The short, rather attractive redhead sat at her laptop, uploading the latest Chapter of 'Funny How thing's End Up'  
  
Ah, to lead the life of a under-appreciated author, she thought, amused.  
  
Then, out of nowhere's Gryffindor's prized Chaser herself, Katie Bell appeared and tapped Katrina on the shoulder. "Ahem."  
  
Katrina spun around it her swivel chair. "Your-your-your-your" She was obviously at loss for words.  
  
"Katie Bell, in the flesh." She buffed her nails on the shirt.  
  
"Your-your-your"  
  
"Not real. I know. I'm only here because you stay up at all hours reading fantasy novels and role-playing on neopets."  
  
Katrina regained composure. "I'll add in four hours of sleep to my schedule if you tell me while you're here."  
  
She pulled up a chair. "Katrina dear, I have an issue with some details in your fic, and your role-playing version of me."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"One, my name is Katherine, not Kathleen. Explain."  
  
"My friend's named Kathleen and she's the first K-name that came to mind."  
  
"I've seen worse. Once I was named 'Kaitlyn', anyway. I also would like to be paired up with Fred, not George."  
  
"Is there a difference? Besides, it's beyond my power."  
  
"YES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE WOMAN! FRED HAS MORE FRECKLES!" she screamed, and Katrina blinked.  
  
"Go bug a Fred/Katie writer. Besides, I don't know if the Katie/George-ship is even going to happen, role-play-wise." Katrina replied meekly.  
  
"And another thing. Why am I a depressive cutter and stuff? I'm normal. Most of the time." She thought for a moment, considering this.  
  
"You are really a strange child." Katrina blinked.  
  
"Speak for yourself."  
  
"Idiot."  
  
"No you are."  
  
"No YOU are."  
  
"No YOU ARE!"  
  
"No YOU are."  
  
"No YOU ARE!"  
  
"No YOU are."  
  
"No YOU ARE!"  
  
"No YOU are."  
  
"No YOU ARE!"  
  
"No YOU are."  
  
"No YOU ARE!"  
  
This continues for quite sometime.  
  
"Ok.. I'm getting bored of this." Katrina said leaning on the back for the chair.  
  
"Me too." Katie agreed looking at her wristwatch. "Sorry dear, I have to go bug a Katie/Lee fan fiction writer."  
  
"Goodbye then, and do rid the fanfiction-world of that coupling, I myself have never been to fond of it."  
  
"Will do." She 'disappeared' again.  
  
"I am NEVER mixing Pepsi with aspirin AGAIN" Katrina thought out loud, returning to her writing. 


	4. Admissions so embarrassing

'The Safe house' or 'Thoughts'  
  
"Some say they find me unstable. Cause they see act a little bit different.." - Greener Pastures- No Doubt  
  
  
  
She awoke the next morning at sunrise, having only fallen asleep at three in the morning, she was still a bit tired. She stood and walked over to her desk, rummaging for a quill.  
  
She tried to write, but her hands were trembling so badly, it was hopeless. A part of her didn't want to put her fears to parchment, on the other hand he needed to know.  
  
Or rather, for some reason she wanted him to know. After last night she wasn't sure of anything, and this support group was just going to make things worse.  
  
She crumpled up the paper and leaned back in her desk chair, watching the sunrise.  
  
So much for telling George.  
  
She quietly left her room, trying not to wake her parents or brother Stephen up.  
  
As she stepped out onto the wet lawn, the morning dew still settled on the grass the first few rays on sunlight peered out from the clouds.  
  
At the edge of the wooded area behind the Bells' house, on one of the high trees lay Katie and Stephen's playhouse on the high branches. She pulled herself up the rope ladder and climbed into it.  
  
(Switch-a-roo To Katie's Point of view. That rhymed.)  
  
The Safe house, Stephen had always called it. --Stephen was my older brother, whom I had always loved and adored. He graduated Hogwarts only last year, but still stayed with us at the house. -  
  
We had always come up here and pretended we were Aurors, defending the neighborhood from Dark Wizards.  
  
Truth be told, I hadn't had many friends as a child. Unlike most of my friends at Hogwarts I had a private tutor instead of attending the local Witchcraft and Wizardry Elementary School.  
  
Stuck up rich girl impression, right?  
  
Not exactly.  
  
My tutor was Professor Jackson, a woman who had been trying to snag a job at Hogwarts for years, but instead tutored kids in my area. I learned Magical History, French-because my mum is French-Canadian, German- because my dad was originally from Germany, and mathematics.  
  
My parents could barely afford it, but hired her anyway. I wasn't too pleased with this.  
  
It the end, they ended up with a seven year old who would switch from French to German in mid sentence.  
  
Those were the days..  
  
I actually wish I had kept up with my language studies, for I was almost fluent, if I hadn't kept getting words and phrases mixed up.  
  
Cursing someone in a different language to his or her face always seemed like the perfect insult. I always thought it'd be witty but what if the person was more fluent then I was? Then maybe they'd insult me and I wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of what they said.  
  
Therefore, I stick to my native language.  
  
So, back to my oh-so-wonderful childhood. We live pretty close to the Weasleys, mum's friends with Mrs. Weasley, but I never really met them until I went to Hogwarts.  
  
Now that I think about, I was prolly closest with Stephen. I haven't really talked to him since I got home, which he strange. I think he's avoiding me. I wouldn't blame him.  
  
It's funny. I didn't even know I was a cutter. It scares me, but I'm humoring it anyway. There is no way I'm telling anyone about this.  
  
It sure explains why I've grown partial (-sp?-) to long sleeve shirts.  
  
I'm just too dumb to notice things sometimes.  
  
Geese, I've been out here for what? An hour? I better go back inside before anyone walks up.  
  
(Back to third person.)  
  
Katie climbed back down the ladder and walked back to the house, her hands in her pockets. When she opened the screen door to the porch, Stephen was standing there.  
  
"Lo-" she was going to say 'Lo Stephen, but she stopped. Because in his left hand was -her- pocketknife. Except, it couldn't be hers, for there was something red, something sticky on the edge.  
  
Something bloody.  
  
A/N- CLIFFHANGER! I know. I may post a tid bit of a funny chapter after this to lighten the mood, but it may be AFTER the cruise. *sniff* 


	5. I'm on the verge of tears again

Author's notes: Here we go, yet another chapter.  
  
".I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart, and tear it apart.." - Garbage, #1 Crush (The song choice is one of my faves, I command you to go to audiogalaxy or kazaa and download it!)  
  
  
  
(("Lo-" she was going to say 'Lo Stephen, but she stopped. Because in his left hand was -her- pocketknife. Except, it couldn't be hers, for there was something red, something sticky on the edge.  
  
Something bloody.))  
  
"Stephen-"  
  
"I can't believe it.. You?"  
  
"It's not what is seems. I swear!" she choked.  
  
"Then what is it?" he asked desperately.  
  
She shut her eyes tightly for a moment, before as if forced by truth potion, all if her fears came out. The scars, the voices..  
  
Stephen was caught off-guard, not expecting anything like this. He known about the upcoming support group, he thought it had to do with Katie's horrible attitude recently. But this?  
  
Katie burst into tears, sitting down on the couch.  
  
He sat beside "S'alright Katiebear." He tried to comfort his little sister awkwardly. She was just.. a complete stranger.  
  
"Don't tell Mum and Dad, please? Please?" she begged him.  
  
"I won't." he assured her, not so sure if he would, but was trying not to make the situation any worse.  
  
She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I-I best get washed up. Mum's taking me to Woodson in a bit.."  
  
Without another word she left, leaving Stephen to sit alone, now complete confused.  
  
Two words.  
  
What happened??  
  
Ten am Woodson Medical clinic  
  
  
  
Katie was dropped off outside the clinic, feeling a bit lost, like she wasn't supposed to be there. It was the day of the dreaded support group. Oh boy.  
  
As she wasn't paying the least bit of attention, she bumped into one of the nurses.  
  
"Are you lost dear?" she asked kindly, catching Katie off guard.  
  
"Well.. Actually, yes. I'm looking for room B13." She stumbled over her own words.  
  
"Down the hall to your left m'dear." She said smiling. Katie didn't say and word to her after that and continued walking.  
  
When she entered the room, the rest of the group had already arrived. She looked around the room before taking a seat in the half circle of chairs.  
  
It takes all types to create the support ground at Woodson. A tall dark haired young man was sitting to Katie's right. He couldn't be older than eighteen. There was a older woman with frizzy red hair who keep biting her nails, a man in his forties, another short brunette woman who keep cracking her knuckles, and lastly a girl in her twenties who wore unsettling dark makeup and purple robes.  
  
The counselor entered. She was a cheerfully looking middle-aged witch dressed in flowery robes that instantly annoyed Katie. Her nametag read: Dr. Hanover. "Hello everyone. We have a new face today, Katherine Bell. That means you aren't the baby of the group anymore Justin." She said gesturing the young man beside Katie. ((A/N: Katrina stresses 'Katherine so much, that Katie hits her over the head with a bludger bat (Hmm..). She quickly revives her, so she'll get on with the fic.))  
  
The girl with the dark makeup rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.  
  
"Ahem. Anyway." She continued. "I have to tend to one of the patients in the other wing. I'll be right back."  
  
The second she left, it was the cue for everyone to start talking. 'Justin' turned to Katie.  
  
"Hello, Katherine is it?" He said with a half smile.  
  
"Katie, actually." She answered.  
  
"Well, I'm Justin. Are you one of the Chasers on the Gryffindor team at Hogwarts?" he asked, as if recognizing her.  
  
"Why.. yes.. how'd you know?" she raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I graduated from Hogwarts last year, I was a Ravenclaw beater."  
  
"I knew I recognized you from somewhere." Katie found herself saying.  
  
The girl in the purple robes stood and went over to the desk up front, where the counselor sat. She shuffled through the drawers and found a thick blue folder. She seated herself on top of the desk and began reading it, amused.  
  
"So it seems the new girls has come to us with quite an interesting report." She had a soft, drawling voice, which strongly reminded Katie of that Slytherin seeker Malfoy. "Chronic insomnia.. depression.. impressive foe a wee little lass."  
  
"Come off it Maylin." Justin scowled. "We all know why you're here."  
  
This immediately shut the girl up, and she resumed shuffling through the folder.  
  
"Anyway.. aren't you a bit young to be out of school?" he said jokingly.  
  
"Well, I've taken off from school for awhile actually." She answered stiffly. The last thing she needed was weird guy from support group hitting on her, though; she couldn't help but notice he was quite attractive.  
  
"What year are you in, anyway?"  
  
"Fifth, actually." She made no direct eye contact.  
  
Then, saving Katie from Justin asking further questions Dr. Hanover re-entered. Maylin hopped off the desk and returned to her seat.  
  
Dr. Hanover sat at her desk smiling. "Hello everyone." AUTHOR'S NOTES- Yes.. I'm stopping here. I'll post more in the morning I swear!  
  
A bit of Katie and Katrina humor.. to.. lighten the mood.  
  
Katrina sat on the couch of her family's computer room, deeply absorbed in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.'  
  
Then, a Quaffle flew right past her head, leaving a giant hold in the wall behind her.  
  
Katrina groaned. "Not this again.."  
  
Enter Katie Bell, stage right, broom in hand. "Sorry, just playing through!" she smiled cheesily.  
  
"You little--"  
  
"Ahem, what was that oh Crazy-Fanfiction Writer/Role-player?"  
  
"I know some fan fiction couplings involving you that would emotionally disturb you." She stated matter o' factly.  
  
"Try me. I've flamed a Percy/Me fic and a Lee/Me fic. What can be worse."  
  
Katrina said the name of a certain er.. person on the Gryffindor team and Katie ran around the room.  
  
"HOLY SHIT! THAT'S HARSH!"  
  
"Warned you." She stuck her tongue out.  
  
"Immature prat."  
  
"Maniac depressive."  
  
"Loser."  
  
"Gryffindor."  
  
It was Katie's turn to be at a loss for words. "Why is that an insult?"  
  
"Because. Slytherins are better." Katrina insisted.  
  
"Nuh uh." Katie said childishly.  
  
"Yeah huh." Katrina shot back.  
  
"Nuh uh."  
  
"Yeah huh."  
  
"Nuh uh."  
  
"Yeah huh."  
  
"Nuh uh."  
  
"Yeah huh."  
  
"Nuh uh."  
  
"Nuh uh." Katrina smiled wickedly.  
  
"Yeah huh- WAIT NO!!!!" Katie immediately threw a temper tantrum.  
  
"Keep at it and I'll see to it that Jo sees to it that NEITHER of the Weasley twins will go within ten feet of you."  
  
Katie sat up, confused, yet catching the part about the twins. "Huh?"  
  
"Thick-headed." Katrina mumbled, sulking off.  
  
(There we go. Another Quarrel between me and myself.) 


	6. Don't gasp at the predictable

A/N-  
  
".Everyday I fight a war against the mirror. Can't take the person staring back at me.." - Pink, Don't Let Me Get Me..  
  
It's about time for a new disclaimer- Okay, I have about one hundred bucks right now, but I'm going to blow it all on a shopping spree in the islands. I OWN Harry Potter and all of his little friends. EHEHEHEH. SUE ME! Good luck trying to find me in the Caribbean. =P  
  
Sorry. I was being a bit, I dunno, sarcastic?  
  
Oh.. character stuff..  
  
Sylvia Marie Bell  
  
Katie's twenty-two year old sister. She often teased Katie and played mean jokes on her, but since Sylvia was the favorite in the family she never got in trouble. Was Prefect and later was Head Girl of the Ravenclaw House. After school she led the dream life of attending one of the top Witchcraft and Wizardry Colleges, Cereshnir. She majored in Transfiguration, and made top grades before dropping out in her senior year to give birth to her son, Jimothy. Jimothy's father never stuck around, leaving Sylvia to raise the boy alone and work a part time job at the Leaky Cauldron. After all this she never lost the respect of her parents, and continued to work hard to get back into school. She recently was engaged a young man by the name of Leonard Dagon, and they are expected to be married in late April. The Bells' are not aware of this yet.  
  
Stephen Bell  
  
Katie's other brother. He recently graduated Hogwarts, also from the Ravenclaw House. Made decent grades, and still lives at home. According to Katie, he has to real plans of moving out anytime soon. Stephen was closer to Katie during the time when Sylvia first went to Hogwarts. He and Sylvia always got most of the attention from their parents, though Katie was not completely ignored.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dr. Hanover sat at her desk smiling. "Hello everyone."  
  
  
  
Katie zoned out slightly, not paying the least bit of attention. Instead, she concentrated on the faint memory of the day she got her Hogwarts letter. For whatever reason, it was the first thing that had come to mind.  
  
Scene, Bell families' backyard.  
  
Eleven year old Katie sat on the back steps, watching Stephen and Sylvia fly by on Cleansweeps every so often. Stephen was entering his fourth year at Hogwarts, and Sylvia her final. Neither of them were too good of flyers but were decent enough to be able to dart by every five minutes and screech 'squib!'  
  
"I'm not a squib!" Katie called up at them.  
  
"Yes you are!" Stephen stuck his tongue out five feet above her. "Mum even said so!"  
  
"If you aren't then why didn't you get a Hogwarts letter?" Sylvia had always been immature for her age and loved the attention of her parents. So even at seventeen years old, she could pass for having the attitude of a five-year-old. "You are eleven and everyone else your age in the neighborhood already got theirs."  
  
Katie knew this was true. She had grown up being told she was to attend a muggle school. Her parents didn't believe she had shown any signs of magic. Though, she had at an earlier age than Sylvia or Stephen.  
  
"You'll see! I'll get my letter!" she clenched her teeth.  
  
Sylvia and Stephen flew in circles trying to steady their brooms and keep from laughing.  
  
Katie caught notice of her Mum's abandoned Silver Arrow a few feet away. Fuming, she stood and went to retrieve it. "Up!" on command, the old broom came to her left hand.  
  
"She's not.." Stephen panicked.  
  
"Mum'll kill us if she falls again!" Sylvia said, obviously more worried about her own well being.  
  
She mounted the broom easily, and dashed up to where Stephen and Sylvia floated in midair.  
  
"I am not a squib!" she repeated shrilly, trying to hide her fear of falling as she reached them.  
  
"Katie! You know what happened last time! Get down now!" Stephen commanded her.  
  
Sylvia smiled slyly. "Katherine, don't mind him. Seems you can fly. I bet you can't catch me." Without another word, Sylvia rushed upward, circling overhead.  
  
Not up for the challenge, yet at the same time hoping to put an end to the teasing, she followed her, trying to make the ancient broom go faster.  
  
Stephen landed, muttering. 'No.. no.. no.. no..'  
  
Sylvia did a quick barrel roll and disappeared into the small clump of trees. Katie plunged downward, and came after her, narrowly missing branches.  
  
Sylvia had landed in a small clearing in the middle of the forest, clamping a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.  
  
Katie had been able to handle the broom better than expected, and soon found her. "FOUND YOU!" she yelled down to her.  
  
"Shit.." Sylvia muttered. Ruin my fun why don't you, she added as an after thought.  
  
She landed perfectly a few feet from Sylvia.  
  
Sylvia re-mounted her broom. "That still doesn't make you a witch daft bugger!" she sped off.  
  
Katie said in the middle of the clearing, tossing the broom aside. She crossed her arms. She'd show them all. Mum, Dad, Stephen, Sylvia. She would get her Hogwarts letter, right?  
  
Then a small rush of wind swept past, as a large gray owl swept past. It dropped a letter in Katie's lap. She opened the letter carefully and read softly. "Dear Miss Katherine Bell, you've been accepted into Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.." she tucked the letter under her arm and remounted the broom.  
  
Sylvia still sat on the porch, mending parts of her broom.  
  
Katie lands near the porch. "Sylvia! Sylvia! I got my Hogwarts letter!"  
  
Sylvia's eyes widened and she sped inside in front of Katie. "She's lying! She's lying!" As the two girls both entered the kitchen, Katie tried to tell her parents about the letter.  
  
Emma Bell, their mother dropped her wand as she was trying to finish the dishes and their father Mitchell Bell peered over the Daily Prophet.  
  
"Heaven girls, what ARE you two going on about?" their mother questioned.  
  
"She's lying!" Sylvia said again.  
  
"Let Katherine speak Syl." Mr. Bell said looking towards Katie.  
  
"I got my Hogwarts letter!" Katie announced.  
  
"No she didn't! She's lying!" Sylvia insisted.  
  
Stephen, who had just entered looked stunned. "Really?"  
  
She pulled out the letter and read it aloud.  
  
"That's nice dear." Said a rather un-interested Emma Bell.  
  
Mr. Bell went back to his newspaper, and Stephen and Sylvia merely shrugged.  
  
"I'm going to owl Uncle Jerome then." Katie said exited to her room, seeing they didn't seem to care.  
  
As Katie left, Sylvia went down on her knees. "Muuuuum! Katherine can't come to Hogwarts! She just can't! Send her to Beauxbatons, Durmstrang! ANYWHERE!"  
  
"Sylvia Marie! I do not see what the problem is! It is your last year at Hogwarts for Merlins sake!"  
  
"So? Doesn't anyone stop to think that I might have a LIFE at school! Katherine will ruin EVERYTHING!" Sylvia burst into over-dramatic tears.  
  
"It is final! I am taking your sister to Diagon Alley tomorrow and she will be going to Hogwarts." Mrs. Bell said, trying to discipline the bratty, sobbing child.  
  
"Yes." Katie whispered, watching from the top of the stairs, her letter to Uncle Jerome in her lap.  
  
Stephen looked from his older sister to his father, who was completely unaware of what was going on. "Am I the only normal one in this family?" he said and slipped out of the room.  
  
Dear Uncle Jerome,  
  
I finally got my Hogwarts letter. Sylvia isn't too happy about it, but you know her. She almost always gets what she wants. Mum and Dad are taking me to Diagon Alley tomorrow. I hope I get into the Ravenclaw house, so at least I'll be with Stephen. On the other hand, Sylvia will try to make my first year a living nightmare if I do get into her house. Hope all is well.  
  
Love, Katie  
  
  
  
A/N- Seems the fic will take a back seat to the past for awhile. Sylvia's so evil. She's a fun character to write. Suggestions? Comments? Concerns? REVIEW! 


	7. A comforting lie can't last

Katie's POV  
  
Drat. Diagon Alley. Basically A day of your truly being dragged around to get all of my school supplies in as little time as possible. At least I get to see Sylvia throw her tri-hourly tantrums on the subject of me going to school.  
  
Back to Third Person. (A/N- Much easier to write. XD) Hogwarts Sorting Ceremony.  
  
'Bell, Katherine'  
  
The small blonde girl walked quickly to the stool and the sorting hat was placed over her head. (A/N- No, you don't get a song. I'm that lazy.)  
  
"Hmm.. Another Bell. Yet, somehow so different." The hat whispered in her ear, considering her house placement,  
  
"Get this over with and just put me in Ravenclaw." Katie thought, frantically.  
  
"But I see in your heart that isn't where you truly what to be. Hufflepuff, perhaps?"  
  
"I'd never hear the end of it from Sylvia. Ravenclaw..Ravenclaw.."  
  
"Then what about Slytherin?"  
  
"Are you mad? I wouldn't last a day!"  
  
"So it seems you have grown to believe what you have been told by your family. Shame."  
  
"But it's true."  
  
"You'd be surprised at your own power."  
  
"Power? Hah. I grew up thinking I was a squib. Tell me where I belong in this stupid world. Dumb hat."  
  
"Are you sure? Better be.. GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Katie sat dumb stuck for exactly two seconds before removing the hat and joining her new housemates.  
  
Stephen looked a bit surprised. After all, a vast majority of their family had been Ravenclaws. Sylvia just whispered something to her little 'clique' and they all snickered.  
  
Back to Present Time. (Wow. I am so not creative today.)  
  
"Katie?"  
  
"Bug off." Katie sat on a park bench outside the clinic, waiting for either her Mum or Stephen, one of them was to arrive by Floo to the main office.  
  
"Listen." Justin said timidly. "I didn't think we got off to a good start. I'm Justin Smith."  
  
"Pleasure Justin. I am Katherine Stephanie Marie Lynn Fairweather Bell and I'd much prefer if you'd leave be alone." She said without even looking up.  
  
"Ouch. 'Gess you'll prolly decline my offer to take you to lunch sometime." "Depends, will you leave me alone."  
  
"I'll consider."  
  
If I had a hate list, Katie thought, he'd be on it.  
  
"Fine. But if you DO leave me alone, I'll promise to miss you." She said airily. "The little coffee place outside muggle London at noon sounds great. See you then." He said walking off and dodging every since one of her insults.  
  
'Justin Smith is the most annoying, stubborn person I have ever had the displease of meeting.' Katie thought shaking her head.  
  
Home Again.  
  
I. Hate. Stephen. I just do.  
  
Katie sat up in her room, braiding the fringes of her quilt out of pure random boredom. An unfinished letter to Alicia lay in front of her. Rushing footsteps hurried past her door and two knocks sounded.  
  
Katie blinked, getting out to open the door. Without a moment's hesitation, she yelled. "STEPHEN! YOU ARE DEAD!"  
  
You must know, Stephen is a very unpredictable person. He could go from concerned to no where near serious in seconds.  
  
Momented upon Katie's door was a sigh scrawling in messy print. "Insane Asylum #568734."  
  
She rans back to her bed, and jolted down:  
  
Sorry so short, I'm off to murder Stephen.  
  
Love, Katie  
  
She sped down the stairway and found her parents and Stephen sitting in the kitchen.  
  
Feeling much like Sylvia, Katie whined. "MUM! Look what Stephen put on my door!" she held up the sign, very red in the face.  
  
"Katherine, Stephen has been up in his room packing. He couldn't have." Mrs. Bell said, pretending to became suddenly interested in a letter lain out on the table.  
  
""But Mum!-Wait, packing? Why?"  
  
"I'm moving out next week. A few of my old school friends need another roomate to help pay the rent." He said in triumph.  
  
"S'about time." Katie muttered.  
  
"Oh, while you're down here. Your sister Sylvia is visiting in a few days." Her mother informed her in a unbearably cheerful tone.  
  
"Just Sylvia?" Katie questioned.  
  
"No, actually she's bringing a nice young man she met a few months ago, and your nephew Jimothy." She said in the same, annoying tone. (No typos- *J*imothy)  
  
"Lovely Mum." Katie said, exiting the room as soon as possible, muttering something that sounded like ."Dammit.. dammit.. dammit.. dammit.."  
  
  
  
Unknown to Katie, in the kitchen lie Sylvia's letter.  
  
Dearest Mother and Father, I'll be in town in a few days, so I was hoping to drop by. Jimothy and I just moved out of the apartment and into Leonard's house. I told you both all about Leonard in my last letter. He's so charming. I SURE this time he's the one. I can't wait for you to meet him!  
  
Love, Sylvia P.S. I don't want Leonard meeting my dearest sister Katherine just yet. I mean, it is quite embarrassing. What would he think of ME?  
  
  
  
A/N- Next Chapter will be up later today.. 


	8. Preordained checklist of this awkward lo...

Jo.. Jenna.. Ky.. whoever else is reading this.  
  
I have no real will to type up the fic. I'm lazy. Or bored. Or both. School's starting the 3rd, so I PROMISE the next chapter will be up by September 20th. My deadline. I swear. So.. my online time is going to be divided between the AOL:No Doubt Boards, the Garbage boards, and ujournal. Maybe neopets too. Anywho, I'm sure you guys are mad, thinking I had an actual chapter up.  
  
Much Love, Kat  
  
Katrina finished the letter nervously, hoping her fellow rpers wouldn't track her down and kill her. Then.. the phone rang. She jumped at first, but then answered her cell.  
  
'Hel-hello?'  
  
'Do you like scary movies?' came the voice, familiar as ever.  
  
'Damn you imaginary RP character!' Katrina yelled into the phone.  
  
'I'm hurt. Really.' Came Katie's voice lazily.  
  
'Bah.. leave me alone.' Katrina said, hanging up.  
  
'No.' Katie, who had sudden appeared behind her, said.  
  
Katrina jumped eight feet and then turned around, slowly. 'You didn't scare me. Hah.'  
  
'Yes I did.' Katie gestured to the hole in the ceiling.  
  
'No, you didn't. I was 'surprised'' she claimed.  
  
'I'm sure.'  
  
The End.  
  
Or is it? 


	9. It's so sad

.Authors Notes: Dunno if this is an update or not.. but let's call it one? Okay? Cool.  
  
Dammit.. dammit.. dammit. That was the only way to describe it.  
  
Doorbell.  
  
"Sylvia! So nice to see you! And I take it you're Leonard?" Katie heard her mother's voice from the main hall, as she greeted Sylvia and company. She slipped out of her room and sat on the top of the stairway, looking below. She had spent much of her childhood using the exact spot to spy on her so- called-family.  
  
Leonard Dagon was a tall young man with sandy brown hair. He worked for the Ministry of Magic in the Accidental Charms Department, but was head of the Department. He seemed to be the silent type, from Katie's viewpoint. She watched a somehow even-more-overjoyed-than-usual-Sylvia clutch to his arm, little Jimothy pulling at her robes.  
  
They moved into the kitchen, closing to the stairway and all sat down.  
  
Sylvia took a dramatic breath. "Mother, Father. there's something we want to tell you." She looked to Leonard and he nodded. "We're getting married!" she squealed, showing off her engagement ring.  
  
The Bell Parents were pleasantly shocked. "That's wonderful!" Emma exclaimed, gazing at the ring. Mr. Bell even went over to talk to Leonard, grinning broadly.  
  
"She'll sink to the bottom if she was to accidentally be pushed into the pond out back.." Katie thought bitterly. Why did everyone have to be so happy? Why can't we all hate Sylvia and claim she has rained shame upon the Bell name.  
  
Nope, that's my job. She ended her thoughts and retreated back to her room. She reached for the handle, but then stop, and went downstairs. As she entered they stopped talking.  
  
"Katherine, so nice of you to join us." Sylvia said, throwing their mother and questioning glance.  
  
"Aunt Katie!" Jimothy went over to Katie and she smiled, picking him up. She walked over to Leonard. "Leonard, right? I'm Sylvia's younger sister, Katie."  
  
"Nice to meet you, but I'm afraid Syl hasn't ever mentioned you." He looked puzzled.  
  
"Aww.. Y'know, Syl doesn't usually like to talk about me. I mean, she's pretty ashamed of her legally-insane little sister. But, it's been lovely meeting you. C'mon Jimothy." She put Jimothy down and motioned him to follow her.  
  
Sylvia sat there, her mouth open, humiliated to the dust.  
  
  
  
  
  
Family Counseling.  
  
Code name for: make family feel bad for patient's own mistake.  
  
We each had to go in one at a time, 'cept Mum and Dad went in together, to talk to this 'Dr. Hanover'. Stupid waste of time if you ask me. Stephen thought.  
  
"Stephen?" Dr. Hanover peeked into the waiting room, and Stephen stood and followed her to her office.  
  
He sat opposite her, looking around the room uncomfortably.  
  
"I'm going to start by asking you a few questions." Dr. Hanover asked in a tone that just said 'And I'm asking them whether you like it or not'.  
  
"Ask away." He leaned back in his chair, eyeing the door.  
  
"Well, as Katie's older brother. What was she like when she was younger?"  
  
"A real brat. She was always complaining a mouthing off at Mum and Dad.."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"She just.. always was like that."  
  
Dr. Hanover furrowed her eyebrows, and was slightly frustrated. "If this was how she always acted. I find it funny you can't give me an example."  
  
"I can't really bring one to mind, but that's what Mum and Dad always told people, okay?" he hated having to fight about the subject.  
  
"Your parents? Why would they say such a thing?"  
  
"I dunno ask them.."  
  
"Mmmhmmm.." she scribbled something down on her clipboard.  
  
"I bet you're just drawing tic-tac-toe-boards on there" Stephen stated, looking at his shoes.  
  
She handed him the clipboard. "Look for yourself."  
  
He glanced at it and then shoved it back. "What's all this bullshit anyway with Katie. She's a normal fourteen--"  
  
"Fifteen." She corrected.  
  
"..Fifteen year old rebellious teenager who belongs in school."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure."  
  
"What's THAT supposed to mean?" he stopped. "Don't answer that. Can I leave now?" he stood.  
  
"Very well.." she sighed. "Send.. er.. I can't pronounce the name.. Syl..syl..?"  
  
"Sylvia." He said, already at the door and abruptly shutting it.  
  
Dr. Hanover remained seated, flipping through Katie's medical file. It was like a big jigsaw puzzle. Too many unanswered questions.  
  
Sylvia entered half-confused, half-her normal stubborn self. She didn't understand why Leonard couldn't come in with her.  
  
"Hello Dr. Hanover." She shook her hand smiling ever-so-fakely. "I'm Sylvia."  
  
Dr. Hanover could see right through her expression with the help of a Masters Degree in Psychology. "Lovely to meet you. Now, I have a few questions for you."  
  
"Whatever I can do to help, because I am extremely worried about dearest Katherine.."  
  
Dr. Hanover cut her off abruptly. "For one, I thought you'd know she hates being called Katherine, from what she's told me."  
  
"Well.. I prefer to call her by her proper name, thank you."  
  
"Moving on. I know there is a bit of an age gap between you two, but how was your relationship with your sister when she was younger?"  
  
"I was always a wonderful big sister to her. Watching her, showing her my spellbooks when I was home from Hogwarts, anything for her. But, recently she embarrassed me it front of my fiancee, so we've haven't been getting along." She looked like she was about to [fake] cry.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"She made my fiancee Leonard think I was ashamed of her!" she quickly got out a compact mirror to check to she that her mascara wasn't running. She snapped it shut, and folded her hands.  
  
"That's all I need to er.. know.. Could you call your parents in?"  
  
"Gladly." She stood, giving an Academy Award © winner look of despair and leaving.  
  
Katie's parents entered, holding hands and both sitting down.  
  
"Now, Mr. And Mrs. Bell, I need to know a little more about Katie's childhood so we can figure out what's wrong."  
  
"Nothing's wrong you mean. Everything's normal again, right?" Mrs. Bell said hurriedly, as if Dr. Hanover hadn't even spoken.  
  
"Well.. not exactly. We've had a hard time trying to get Katie to open up to any of the other therapists, and we need to know about her past."  
  
"She had a normal childhood. Normal. -Normal-." Mrs. Bell, who obviously was going to be doing all the talking, stressed.  
  
"I see.. but.. I've gotten two completely different stories form both of your other children."  
  
"It's not our fault Sylvia was the brighter one. It's so hard not to ignore how brilliant she was.." Mrs. Bell beaming as if stating a true fact.  
  
"That's nice, but we are talking about Katie, not Sylvia." Dr. Hanover was beginning to see why Katie had once stated that her family could drive any sane person over the edge.  
  
"Oh.. yes. You're right."  
  
"Well. Did you often find yourself comparing Katie to Sylvia?"  
  
"Of course!" Emma Bell said with the surprised look on her face. "I expect high standard from my children, school-wise. Most of Katherine's grades in the past have been unacceptable! And she wasn't even made a Prefect!"  
  
"I've seen her grades. She makes average grades! She's on her House Quidditch team! Can't you just praise her real accomplishments! She is Katie, not Sylvia!" she practically yelled.  
  
"I'm not a bad mother! I'm not!" she turned to her husband hinting panic. "I'm not a bad mother!"  
  
"I never said that." She said tempted to hit the woman. "I'm am sensing 'Third Child Syndrome' here. It's not a disease but I've seen it before. It has to do with parents losing interest in the personality or traits of the last born child, or trying to turn them into a clone of their older sibling but constant comparison."  
  
"That's absurd! I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever, even tried it!"  
  
"AH! I'm not finished!" she now felt as if she was talking to a three-year- old and not a grown woman. "It seems you have highered Katie's standards for herself, causing her to finally be pushed over the edge all these years of being 'worried about not being good enough'."  
  
'Never' Emma mouthed.  
  
"Think about it. How many times have you told her 'Sylvia never did or said this..' so on, so forth."  
  
"I haven't done anything of the sort!" she stormed out.  
  
"Uh.. Thank you Dr. Hanover. I Uh.. better go follow her." Mr. Bell called after her meekly. "Coming dear!"  
  
A/N- That's all for now! Ta da!!  
  
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ISelf-multilation isn't the way out of anything.. I just don't know how to deal with it all just yet./i  
  
  
  
"You think too much."  
  
"You think too much about me thinking too much."  
  
"You think too much about the fact that I may be thinking that you think too much."  
  
"You think too much about the possibility that I may be thinking about how you think too muc habout me thinking too much."  
  
"Damn. I give up." 


	10. A Note From Kat

Woo.. bet this lyrics are wrong, considering I'm typing them from memory.. but oh well.  
  
"Comforting Lie"  
  
© to No Doubt. I don't own it. Never have. Never will.  
  
I started out on the wrong foot  
  
Now I'm not myself  
  
I am Jekyll, I am Hyde  
  
Found this place to hide  
  
Come seek me  
  
Oh, so up and down  
  
So back and forth  
  
So insecure  
  
Can't get this taste out of my mouth  
  
Swallow it down  
  
Pretend  
  
Hold it, hold it all in  
  
Let it build up  
  
Build a bomb  
  
Blow it, blow it away  
  
Clear it all out  
  
Just end it  
  
I'm just a normal person  
  
Without those problems  
  
When did it change?  
  
Admissions so embarrassing  
  
I'm on the verge of tears again  
  
Hold it, hold it all in  
  
Let it build up  
  
Build a bomb  
  
And blow it, blow it away  
  
Clear it all out  
  
Just end it  
  
Oh look I took the Band-Aid off  
  
Did I take it off too soon?  
  
Hysterical confession  
  
My big courageous move  
  
Don't gasp at the predictable  
  
A comforting lie can't last  
  
Preordained checklist of this awkward love  
  
It's so sad  
  
Hold it, hold it all in  
  
Let it build up  
  
Oh, build a bomb  
  
Blow it, blow it away  
  
Clear it all out  
  
Just end it  
  
Sort it, sort it out  
  
Just give it back  
  
No thank you  
  
Toss it, toss it away  
  
Eliminate  
  
Just give up  
  
I can't decide  
  
This tug of war  
  
I'm feeling weak  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Notes  
  
Well.. the fic is basically finished, scattered between my computer, and two notebooks. I haven't been on enough to type everything up. Things aren't going to well for me at the moment, for reasons I will not disclose. I hope to have the next chapter up as soon as possible.  
  
Love  
  
Kat 


	11. Dreams and a Rude Awakening

Authors Notes: FINALLY! That's all I can say.  
  
Dreams and A Rude Awakening  
  
That night, for some reason or another Katie found herself completely wiped out. A vivid dream played in her mind like a black and white movie.  
  
It was the end of her fourth year, and Emma Bell had picked Stephen and Katie up from the station. She was overjoyed about her son's upcoming graduation party. Katie sheepishly pocketed the letter revealing her not- so-wonderful end of the term grades.  
  
"Oh.. this is just splendid, Jerome and Lily will be in town, and I'll get a hold of Sylvia somehow." Emmaline Bell paused and hugged her son again. "My big boy's all grown up."  
  
Stephen mumble something and shrugged her off.  
  
"Yes mother, I had a wonderful year at school, thank you so much for asking." Katie half-muttered.  
  
"Did you say something dear?"  
  
"No, nothing at all."  
  
"All right then."  
  
The drive home in the family's new suburban was filled with discussion of a Stephen's Graduation party. Katie stared out the window blankly and then a smile crept across her face. "Mother, I am dying my hair black, getting a nose ring, and then I'm joining a Goth Band."  
  
"That's nice dear." She said in an absent tone.  
  
Stephen grinned at her.  
  
"I also nearly failed half of my classes this term, hope you don't mind."  
  
"That's wonderful Katherine." She said in the same tone.  
  
Stephen tried his best to keep from laughing.  
  
She continued to go on about whether green steamers or blue would look nicer, before they were finally home.  
  
Katie took her key from one of her pockets and opened the door, Stephen behind her. Sylvia was sitting in the front palour. She jumped up and exclaimed in a perky voice. "I was wondering when you'd be home!" she hugged both of her siblings and then went to greet her mother.  
  
Katie made a gag-me-please face sat down on the couch.  
  
"Sylvia What a pleasant surprise! Where is my grandson?" their mother asked.  
  
"Jimmy's staying with Uncle Jerome and Aunt Lily." She said smiling broadly. "I thought It'd be a nice time for me to stay at home for awhile.  
  
"Let me guess, you lost your job? Again?" Katie suggested bitterly.  
  
"Katherine. Upstairs. Now." Emma ordered, not noticing as Sylvia paled.  
  
She continued, considerably less perky. "Well, due to conflict of interest, I am not longer working at the Madame Malkin's."  
  
She threw a told-you-so glance as she walked up the stairs.  
  
"Katherine-Stephanie-Lynn-Marie-Fairweather-Bell. Now!"  
  
"It's Marie-Lynn." Katie rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, you can't even remember my whole name."  
  
"I.. 2.."  
  
"I'm going, I'm going." She stomped loudly as possible, making the old floorboards creak.  
  
"My baby sister sure can be temperamental." Sylvia said in an airy tone, changing the subject.  
  
"Now, you, how did you get yourself fired this time?" Stephen said raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I can't HELP it if I different view than SOME people."  
  
Meanwhile. . .  
  
Why did you have to come now? Finally it's summer and I get away from school and she shows up. Doesn't even bother to owl for nearly half and year and she just shows up. The nerve of her!  
  
Katie wandered down the hallway, which her room was at the end of. She passed Sylvia's room, and then took a few steps backward. Stepping in, as if pulled in by an invisible force. The elegant blue canopy bed in the corner, the tables full of framed photo graphs, all of Sylvia.. All preserved even though she had barely lived here for years.  
  
Without thinking she knocked one of the pictures from the table, the glass shattering on the ground.  
  
"I saw that." Came Stephen's voice who had just came upstairs. "You best clean up before Mum finds you. You know you're not even supposed to be in here."  
  
She muttered something under her breath and bent down to clean up the broken glass. Reaching across the floor to pick up the thin metal frame, she jumped.  
  
"Ouch."  
  
One of the pieces of glass had cut her inner left arm.  
  
The dream faded to another scene, herself sitting on the balcony outside her room, sobbing uncontrollably, but not knowing why. She feel dizzy and her vision blurry, but not from tears. She tried to shake the wave of nausea off, but only felt worse.  
  
Looking down, as though through a fuzzy haze she saw the familiar line of red on her wrists, her mind suddenly screamed. "I cut too deep.."  
  
Fading slowly.. not to mention alone-  
  
End Dream Sequence  
  
Katie was shaken awake by none other than Sylvia the great herself. "Wake up."  
  
"Unless the house in on fire, dear sister, I highly suggest you bugger off." Came a hoarse whisper.  
  
"I know.. I'm sorry, It' just, I assumed you were having a nightmare. I heard you crying."  
  
"Stopping amusing things, okay?" She felt too tired to even throw a death glare.  
  
"Sorry." Sylvia left, her voice lacking the usually know-it-all tone.  
  
A/N:  
  
Jo.. Ky.. Jen? So? Whadda ya think? Morbid? Creepy? Both?  
  
Yes, I am going to show the brighter side of Sylvia, somehow. I think. 


	12. A New Beginning?

A/N: Short little chapter. I may put more 'Katie's past' chapters up for my own amusement, but here it is. The end.  
  
December and the beginning of January went by quickly, yet seemed to drag on forever on some days. Katie went on a few awkward dates with Justin, neither of them seeming to be attracted to each other, Katie just using it as a way to get out of the house.  
  
But that night, a few things changed.  
  
Katie sat on the couch, tuning out her parents as the lectured her. Emma and Mitchell slow to realize it.  
  
"So we've decided you will attend Beauxbatons for the reminder of your schooling." Emma finished.  
  
At this Katie snapped to attention. "WHAT? There is no way in HELL I am going to that dreadful school!"  
  
"Of course you are. We've made arrangements with Madame Maxime (sp?). You are to start classes with the fourth years next month." Her father added.  
  
"Mum! I'm a fifth year!"  
  
"We know this, but from your grades at Hogwarts, you would meet Beauxbatons' requires easier if you were to start in a lower level for awhile." Emma said calmly.  
  
"I'm not going. You CAN'T make me." Katie was not one to throw tantrums, unlike Sylvia, but this was absurd. Instead she stormed out of the room, up the stairs, and slammed her door so hard, it sounded as if it may come off the hinges.  
  
An owl was waiting for her in her room. Addressed from Hogwarts. She opened the letter, only to find her records to be given to her new Headmistress. A small note from Dumbledore at the end wished her good luck at her new school.  
  
"This is a living nightmare." Katie mumbled.  
  
She probably sat in her room, door locked for two hours. It was all she could do to keep from screaming at the top of her lungs at her parents. Finally, after regaining composure, she went back down stairs to address her parents.  
  
"Ahem." She interrupted their conversation, which was obviously about her.  
  
"Yes dear?" her mother, asked half expecting a Sylvia-style tantrum.  
  
"Do hear me out, before you say anything." She said quietly, and paused. "Mum, Dad. I really want to go back to Hogwarts. If I can't go back, I don't know what I'll do, and if I have to go to that snobby prat school it'll be even worse. Pleeeeease don't send me." She begged.  
  
"Well, we'll have to talk to Dumbledore, but I suppose we could get things worked out. Under one condition though. If you ARE you go back to Hogwarts, you are to leave for school tomorrow." As her father spoke, it seemed it had been planned.  
  
"Tomorrow? Are you mad?" she stopped her self. "I mean, all right." Barely believing her own words, much less expecting her parents to.. She awaited their response.  
  
"It's settled then. Run along and get your school things together."  
  
She nodded, a bit shocked and surprised. She had just agreed to go back to school.. tomorrow.  
  
Was she ready yet? 


End file.
